ISSIP/Deepening Participation
Deepening ParticipationDeepening ParticipationDeepening ParticipationDeepening Participation
with Jim Spohrer
Welcome to this online brainstorming discussion thread "Deepening Participant" with Jim Spohrer (moderator). Please feel free to introduce yourself
and add ideas and comment on the ideas of others! Read-set-go!
Jim Spohrer [20 Oct 18:17] Helpfulness: 3.0 Reply
Hi Jim, this is Deb at CSU Long Beach. I am a full professor of Design and the Chair of the Design Department. I have research in the
areas of design for behavioral change and design for social inclusion. I am interested in design for epilepsy, autism, gender identity,
design for inclusivity. And I recently stuck my hand in a laundry detergent box at midnight in a dark laundry room to find a taratula had
taken up residence there. My apologies to everyone who heard the screams. Let's have a fun time sharing!
Debra Satterfielf [21 Oct 15:24] Is this idea helpful? Reply
Hi Deb, Hi Jim, this is Warner and I am participating from North Carolina where I heard the screams of tarantula frights. I
work for Cisco and am neck-deep in the AI journey to create GeoAI at Cisco for the Service Supply Chain. This is a very fast
moving area and we are putting the systems in place to evolve our spatial platform into the AI age.
Warner diGooijer [21 Oct 15:37] Is this idea helpful? Reply
"GeoAI at Cisco for the Service Supply Chain" sounds to me like a future ISSIP Excellence in Service innovation
nomination :-)
Jim Spohrer [22 Oct 02:58] Helpfulness: 0.0 Reply
Reminder 1: Remember this is open innovation - so only upload ideas you are comfortably sharing publicly with your email associated with the ideas.
Do not upload confidential information. Try to be constructive and polite building on the ideas you like best.
Jim Spohrer [20 Oct 18:21] Helpfulness: 3.0 Reply
I always like attending the World Economic Forum events in San Francisco or catch up on Ted-Talks online because they have
authoritative speakers, report/book authors and thought leaders share their insights. These events draw interest because generally you
will learn something new and insightful by attending online or in-person. Ted-Talks have a certain format that keeps them relevant;
excellent presentation style, easy to digest and relatively short to focus on the core information.
Online audiences have a lot of resources that o!er authoritative insights: LinkedIn learning, Masterclass, internal Company/Cisco courses,
Online Certificates. There is so much information to pick from and to consume. Let me ask this question: is ISSIP an authoritative resource
in the Services Industry and what does ISSIP need to stay relevant in today's fast moving tech economy?
Warner diGooijer [21 Oct 15:58] Is this idea helpful? Reply
Good point about authoritative sources to build an audience.
Jim Spohrer [21 Oct 16:39] Helpfulness: 0.0 Reply
Idea_Speakers001: Survey existing ISSIP community participants to gather speaker and topic suggestions.
Idea_Speakers002: Establish an ISSIP speakers bureau to gather up speakers, topics, and set up events for
community.
Jim Spohrer [21 Oct 18:36] Helpfulness: 3.0 Reply
Idea_Speaker003: Cecilia Lee has been our "Lex Fridman" interview of top service innovation
related people in our community. So in addition to events with speakers, an ISSIP series of interviews
with top people would be good. Ask the community - who do you want to hear interviewed, and
what questions would you like to ask them.
Jim Spohrer [22 Oct 15:01] Helpfulness: 0.0 Reply
ISSIP Handbook - deepening participation on-ramp: The ISSIP Handbook was created to help participants quickly understand ISSIP participation in
terns of the annual calendar. See link here: https://issip.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ISSIP-Handbook-2024-Edition.pdf. (the link can be found at
the footer - bottom of every page on the ISSIP.org website in the lower right hand corner).
Jim Spohrer [21 Oct 14:11] Helpfulness: 3.0 Reply
Deepening participation with ISSIP involves moving from passive involvement to active contribution and leadership within the community.
To begin, it is important to align with ISSIP's mission, which focuses on promoting service innovation through collaboration among
academia, industry, government, and individuals. Becoming an active member by joining the organization and staying informed through
newsletters is a foundational step. Meaningful engagement can be achieved by participating in Special Interest Groups that align with
your interests, regularly attending their meetings, contributing to discussions, and volunteering to support or lead initiatives. Attending
and contributing to ISSIP events such as discovery summits, webinars, and workshops o!ers valuable opportunities to share your
expertise and learn from others. Publishing or co-authoring content such as blog posts, newsletters, or whitepapers further deepens your
involvement, as does participating in mentorship programs and learning circles. Taking on leadership roles within ISSIP committees, or
being nominated for recognition as a fellow or distinguished contributor, reflects a strong commitment to the organization’s goals.
Networking with other members, collaborating on projects that bridge academia and industry, and promoting ISSIP’s mission within your
own professional circles all contribute to more meaningful participation. Ultimately, deepening your involvement with ISSIP means
transitioning from being an observer to becoming a co-creator, consistently contributing to the community and helping shape its future.
[21 Oct 14:57] Is this idea helpful? Reply
This is a very useful catalog of the many ways people can participate in ISSIP. What do you -- or any other participant here --
think are the one, two or three most promising moves ISSIP could make to make taking that first step enticing, easy,
rewarding? Are there clever teases? New forms of outreach? Contests or quizzes? Links to opportunities for members? Ways
to socialize members' needs for connections or resources?
Mike Wing [21 Oct 16:07] Is this idea helpful? Reply
Stories, stories, stories - telling ISSIP stories in places where current and future participants consume information.
We live in a world of bite-sized and meal-sized stories - with images, video, sound. Di"cult to exercise quality
control except through a powerful overarching narrative.
Martha Russell [21 Oct 16:17] Is this idea helpful? Reply
Idea_CleverTeases001: Test your service innovation knowledge - a quiz-your-self approach.
Jim Spohrer [21 Oct 18:39] Helpfulness: 0.0 Reply
There've been suggestions of volunteer leaders stepping up to host in-person events in a local area or region --
such as DACH (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) or Mexico for 2 examples... I think people would welcome the
opportunity for in-person connection.
(Michele C)
Michele Carroll [22 Oct 00:52] Is this idea helpful? Reply
ISSIP Course (free) and Certification (for-fee) - deepening participation on-ramp: Under-development is a free ISSIP onboarding course (see student
created early versions here - https://issip.org/2025-aicollab-course-for-onboarding-participants/) as well as a for-fee ISSIP certification program (see
announcement here - https://issip.org/andrea-biancini-to-lead-issip-credentialing-curriculum-design/).
Jim Spohrer [21 Oct 14:17] Helpfulness: 2.3333333333333335 Reply
ISSIP AI-Powered Guidebook for Service Roles -deepening participation on-ramp: How can AI help augment volunteers working on tasks, and help
automate micro-tasks? This approach to deepening participation by helping onboard volunteers with AI-helpers has also been explored by student
teams (see e!orts here - https://issip.org/2024-aicollab-guidebook-for-service-roles/).
Jim Spohrer [21 Oct 14:20] Helpfulness: 2.0 Reply
Excellent insight on how AI can enhance and streamline the e!orts of volunteers. e.g. , AI-powered chatbots can handle routine inquiries
from the public, freeing up time for volunteers to focus on more impactful tasks. Additionally, ML tools can help match volunteers with
roles that best fit their skills and availability, optimizing both e"ciency and satisfaction.
[21 Oct 15:30] Is this idea helpful? Reply
I had a long and fascinating discussion today with a data and AI specialist from PepsiCo. The key takeaway was that the real challenge isn’t the
technology itself—it’s identifying and framing the right use cases. Interestingly, his focus was on services, primarily within internal operations. This
aligns with a pattern I’ve observed across many firms: technology often leads the conversation, while the corresponding service abstraction layer
lags behind. I’ve had similar discussions with others in recent months, and these recurring themes suggest a broader, systemic issue. Many
organisations are heavily investing in AI and data capabilities, but without a clear service-oriented foundation, their initiatives risk becoming
technology-driven rather than value-driven. It seems there’s real potential to develop a framework or toolset that supports the successful, service-led
adoption of AI. After all, AI has become the “cool” topic of the moment—it attracts attention and funding—but the long-term success will depend on
how well it’s integrated into meaningful service systems. Something like this could create a theme/tpoic we can cluster around.
Shaun West
Shaun West [21 Oct 15:37] Is this idea helpful? Reply
Very interesting. I wonder whether there's fertile ground -- for ISSIP, and well beyond -- in a serious (dare one say scientific) services
frame or hypothesis or practice for AI. After all, inherent in services is the idea of mutuality, of dynamic, emergent activity and
relationships... but AI today -- at least, its chat manifestations -- is a rather degraded facsimile of that. The chatbot has no agency; it's a
sycophantic mirror. Seems as though a serious system of service-based relationship could go a long way toward correcting what is
destructive or hallucinatory about at least the current flavor of AI.
Mike Wing [21 Oct 16:18] Is this idea helpful? Reply
What I like about this idea is the importance of real person to real person trust relationship in the age of AI.
Jim Spohrer [22 Oct 03:02] Helpfulness: 0.0 Reply
Consider, instead of msging sites; having twins available to give advice based on their lives’ ‘lessons learned.’
That would be more open ended than trying to read updates on text threads. Plus consolidating one’s entire life
experiences, in an ‘ask me anything’ open format.
All my writings, presentations, online courses, and more could be instantly available via Q and A, or user
prompting. Frank Odasz Lone Eagle Consulting http://lone-eagles.com/ 1982-2017 http://youtube.com/fodasz
And inviting anyone to compile their own person lessons learned, with addition of wisdom they gather from
other people and/or online sources.
Leaving a Legacy would be the title of the “How you can do this too” ISSIP project. It needs to be minimally
technical and maximally humanistic, nuturing, encouraging, and real instead of overly fake AI centric in nature.
Many, like Marc Prensky, and Jim Spohrer, already have vast media resources to convert into an increasingly
personal transformation into an eternal twin that can listen, learn, and keep learning, thinking, and could stay
busy creatively generating new content....potentially forever!
Suzanne Summers died two years ago after 24 yrs with breast cancer and specifically wanted to leave behind
an interactive twin to 'carry on' for her fans and others. That anyone could begin creating a similar life legacy for
any ongoing, even eternal purpose for good...would be an intriguing incentive as they see what others have
already created.
A specific example; Suzanne Sumers https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/22/entertainment/suzanne-somers-ai-
clone-husband
frank odasz [22 Oct 17:43] Is this idea helpful? Reply
Frank Odasz wrote: "A bit of IBM history; an early ceo stated there was no market for personal
computers, in 1977 Chris Ward (IBMer) created the first BBS software, around 1982 Harvard created
a public domain bbs program called Common Ground, in 1992 was the last BBSCON conf. in
Colorado springs, there were around 100,000 BBSs at that time, most for gamers and hobbiests.
1988-1998 the Big Sky Telegraph innovated with online courses for K12 educators specifically for
rural, remote and indigenous learners, to build caring online communities with advantages of
asynchronous msging 24/7. http://lone-eagles.com/history.htm All courses and content free to all at
http://lone-eagles.com/ Of note is lots of detailed, simply written stories and explanations posted at
the lone eagles site.. One sample link http://lone-eagles.com/incubat.htm(has a short bulleted
constitution.) As social media dominated, free local friendly bbs communities were overshadowed
by very diverse larger virtual online communities lead by for profit algorithms....the humanetech.com
movie 'social dilemma' warned of abuses about 10 years ago. Tristan Harris has an updated TED
talk on TED.com summer of 2025 that is a truly exceptional update!;
https://www.humanetech.com/landing/the-social-dilemma and they have a site listing the harms of
social media, too. ISSIP might reframe the invite to participate as a storytelling platform for diverse
users on how to create value for others; encouragement, to generate a 'lessons learned' resource
on ways to keep online discussions civil and nurturing. Think Globally, Act Locally. This is evolving
into AI graphics with humor and political relevance, but risks devolving into dropping poop like King
Trump on protesters. I see tech academics having their threads, educators having one on what to
teach like AI appropriate use, and rules for online citizenship and many other for 'regular folks.' A
related book long ago was Rules for Radicals. ISSIP needs to o!er new energy of purpose for
participants...at a level they can feel competent to contribute to. "If we all share what we know, we'll
all have access to all our knowledge. Less is more in the age of info overload, and VALUE is created
for more people using 'Less is More' as a guideline. Motivating quotes can be near instantly inspiring.
60% of people access internet on their smartphones, and type with two thumbs or fingers, though
talk to text is used by many but few read long texts. LOL I came online in 1982, created the Big Sky
Telegraph with Colonel David R. Hughes 1988-1998. Became Lone Eagle Consulting 1997-2017, and
am currently following ISSIP and AI trends for good and bad potential outcomes. Frank Odasz
[email protected] Having traveled a million miles, half by airline, half by car, 20 years
teaching online across Alaska, Montana and nationally/internationally. The Top Down needs to
learn how to partner MEANINGFULLY with the Bottom up. If 1% of people on earth are sociopaths, of
8+ billion that's 80,000,000 and AI and War tech in the hands of just a few can destroy the life's work
of ten of millions of good folks. So, regulating and monitoring will require advanced AI, noting many
authoritarian countries, and Palantir in the US plan to use AI for control and surveillance, not civil
dialog and free speech. The #1 problem in my view; is the above is going against the potential of
online communications for cointelligence, superagency, and abundance for all. As Doug Engelhart
championed with The Mother of All Demos at SRI in the late 60's. Censoring we the people and
democracy is unAmerican to the extreme. Remembering the growth of Astroturf (fake grassroots
organizations) creating Citizens United to allow billiionaires to buy elections like Muck did in 2024.
Empowering all citizens should produce massive incomes for those with major financial resources to
invest. Power to the People! It is just a matter of who and when. (quoting Tom Grundner; National
Public Telecomputing Networking)f 3 presenters, or a posting to start day two? I read Kevin’s notes
for day one, signed in and posted the following."
Jim Spohrer [22 Oct 18:42] Helpfulness: 0.0 Reply
The value-oriented approach is powerful. It does require identifying value components for multiple layers of the ecosystem and - after
integrating those that apply to multiple segments and aligning with value internally to the organization - prioritizing for cost-benefit.
Martha Russell
Martha Russell [21 Oct 16:34] Is this idea helpful? Reply
Hi Shaun,, Markus Warg has started a team working on TSRDM (Translational Service Research Design Methodology) for moving
research into practice. See more here https://www.ifsd.hamburg/TRANSLATIONAL-SERVICE-RESEARCH-AND-DESIGN-METHODOLOGY-
TSRDM/
Jim Spohrer [21 Oct 18:42] Helpfulness: 0.0 Reply
Interesting Shaun -- I wonder if your example could become an instance for ISSIP to more specifically define what (e.g. Pepsi) values
might be to which AI could be applied? (like in an AI Collab project for them -- you're in India -- we have a college in Mumbai currently
looking for some coaching on AI tools generally -- what about appending that type opportunity with a specific use case possibility. Start
with say a survey within Pepsi of priorities ... a specific department or team's priorities, needs or pain points.
Michele Carroll [22 Oct 00:56] Is this idea helpful? Reply
Treasure Hunt Moderator note from Kevin Clark: If you want to be identified with your comments as we get underway, please "sign" your post with
your name. We are updating the ISSIP email authorization list to include and in the database so this shows up automatically. This should be available
in three hours; Midday PT / mid-afternoon ET / early evening CET.
Kevin Clark [21 Oct 16:11] Is this idea helpful? Reply
From Kevin Clark CHAT GPT 5 SUMMARY & TOP FIVE THEMES Here’s a summary and synthesis of the “ISSIP Treasure Hunt: Deepening Participation”
discussion, highlighting the key contributions and emerging insights.
Summary Overview The discussion centers on how to deepen participation within the ISSIP (International Society of Service Innovation
Professionals) community. Participants—including Jim Spohrer, Debra Satterfield, Warner diGooijer, Mike Wing, Martha Russell, Shaun West, and Kevin
Clark—explored ways to make engagement more accessible, meaningful, and aligned with ISSIP’s mission of advancing service innovation across
academia, industry, and government. The conversation evolved around both structural enablers (like handbooks, onboarding courses, and speaker
bureaus) and cultural catalysts (like storytelling, mutual learning, and value-driven collaboration).
Top Five Themes
1.
Building Clear On-Ramps for Participation • Jim Spohrer emphasized the importance of helping participants move from passive to active roles. •
Tools mentioned include the ISSIP Handbook, onboarding courses, certification programs, and AI-powered guidebooks to assist volunteers. • The
aim is to make initial engagement enticing, easy, and rewarding—with potential use of quizzes, contests, and visible recognition pathways. Key
Idea: Participation grows when pathways are structured, supported by digital and AI-enabled tools, and tied to recognition systems.
________________________________________
2.
AI and Service Innovation Integration • Shaun West and Mike Wing debated the evolving relationship between AI and service systems. • Shaun
noted that many organizations risk being technology-driven rather than value-driven, and that ISSIP could champion a service-oriented AI
framework. • Mike argued for developing mutuality-based service frameworks to counteract AI’s tendency toward one-way or “hallucinatory”
interactions. • Martha Russell added that success depends on identifying and aligning value components across ecosystem layers. Key Idea: AI
should augment—not replace—human-centered service design; ISSIP can lead in defining a service-science foundation for AI.
________________________________________
3.
Storytelling as a Tool for Engagement • Martha Russell championed storytelling as a strategy to build identity and attract new participants. • She
suggested disseminating “bite-sized and meal-sized stories” across multimedia platforms to humanize ISSIP’s impact and amplify its relevance. •
Mike Wing reinforced that stories connect emotionally and can drive participation more e!ectively than formal communication alone. Key Idea:
Narrative coherence and visibility are essential for cultivating belonging and sustaining engagement.
________________________________________
4.
Creating Authoritative Learning Ecosystems • Warner diGooijer compared ISSIP’s potential role to platforms like TED or LinkedIn Learning—
authoritative sources that attract engagement through credibility and insight. • The community discussed developing a speaker bureau, surveys
for topics, and a mix of free and paid educational o!erings to position ISSIP as a “go-to” source for service innovation thought leadership. Key
Idea: ISSIP’s influence and participation levels rise when it is perceived as an authoritative, educational hub with quality speakers and accessible
learning experiences. ________________________________________
5.
Collaborative, Open Innovation Culture • Participants echoed the importance of collaboration, openness, and inclusion, particularly as a
foundation for creativity and innovation. • Debra Satterfield’s introduction highlighted design for inclusion and behavioral change—aligning well
with ISSIP’s social and ethical mission. • The “treasure hunt” metaphor reinforced that ISSIP’s value lies in shared exploration rather than top-down
dissemination. Key Idea: Deep participation flourishes in a culture of open innovation, where diverse voices, stories, and experiments are
welcomed and supported. ________________________________________ Emerging Opportunities • AI-Enhanced Volunteer
Matching – Using machine learning to align skills with roles. • ISSIP StoryHub – A digital storytelling platform to share projects, case studies, and
personal journeys. • Service-AI Framework Development – A cross-disciplinary e!ort to define best practices for value-driven AI. • Micro-
Credentials & Recognition Pathways – To encourage incremental contributions and sustained engagement.
________________________________________ Closing Thought “Deepening participation” ultimately means moving from being a
consumer of knowledge to a co-creator of the community’s future. The discussion reflects a collective desire to blend technological
sophistication, human-centered design, and service science values into a more vibrant, inclusive ISSIP ecosystem.
Kevin Clark [21 Oct 19:25] Is this idea helpful? Reply
Update on your online identity here in Treasure Hunt: If you see the tab "My Account" at the top right of your screen (scroll all the way to the top) -
here you can add your name to your account along with your pre-populated email address.
Kevin Clark [21 Oct 22:29] Is this idea helpful? Reply
Wow - great tip Kevin Clark! If your name does not appear - you can get it there.
Jim Spohrer [22 Oct 03:04] Helpfulness: 0.0 Reply
Kevin Clark | Anthropic Claude Sonnet 4.5 | Prompt: Please provide three proven strategies and accompanying actions that result in Deepening
Participation in professional development not-for-profit organizations.
Three Proven Strategies for Deepening Participation in Professional Development Nonprofits
1.
Create Peer Learning Communities
The Strategy: Move beyond one-way knowledge transfer to facilitate ongoing peer-to-peer connections where members learn with and from each
other.
Actions:
Why it works: People participate more deeply when they build relationships and feel accountable to peers, not just to an organization. Peer learning
also scales better than expert-led programming.
1.
Implement Progressive Engagement Pathways
The Strategy: Design clear "ladders of engagement" that move members from passive consumers to active contributors and leaders.
Actions:
Why it works: Most people need incremental steps to deepen involvement. Clear pathways reduce friction and help members visualize how they can
contribute meaningfully.
1.
Co-Create Content and Programming with Members
The Strategy: Shift from delivering predetermined programs to involving members in designing, developing, and delivering the experiences they want.
Actions:
Why it works: Co-creation builds ownership and investment. When members help shape programming, they're more likely to participate because it
reflects their actual needs rather than assumptions about what they need.
Overall cross-cutting principle: All three strategies work best when combined with consistent communication that emphasizes community benefits
over transactional benefits—helping members see themselves as part of a movement or professional community, not just customers of services.
Kevin Clark [22 Oct 00:49] Is this idea helpful? Reply
Especially like "consistent operations and communications" - keeping things simple and consistent has great appeal to this ISSIP co-
founder and volunteer (retiree status - helping on Wednesdays each week). ISSIP Annual Calendar is something that some of us have
internalized - President's Progress Update with Board, Quarterly Welcomes, Announcing Excellence Award Winners, VP Elections,
Nominating Excellence Award Nominations, etc.
Jim Spohrer [22 Oct 20:02] Helpfulness: 0.0 Reply
Thanks Kevin Clark - Nice use of AI !!!
Jim Spohrer [22 Oct 03:03] Helpfulness: 0.0 Reply
In Switzerland, we have the Data Innovation Alliance (https://data-innovation.org), which is currently running a Booster Programme focused on AI.
While AI is undeniably important, there is a growing concern that it may become overly technology-driven and increasingly inaccessible to those
outside the technical community. As the emphasis shifts toward algorithms, data pipelines, and automation, we risk neglecting the human and
organisational aspects that are crucial for these technologies to deliver real value.
One significant element often missing from these discussions is governance—not just ethics, which is now well addressed and widely discussed, but
the structures and mechanisms that ensure responsible, e!ective, and inclusive use. Nowadays, almost everything is labelled as “AI,” even when it may
not qualify as such. The real challenges we face are not related to AI itself, but rather to its application; in fact, there are instances where AI may not
even be the most suitable tool for the task at hand.
This presents an apparent paradox: we need to harness the appeal of AI to gain traction, secure funding, and attract engagement. However, in doing
so, we might unintentionally exclude individuals without a technical background. Many of us involved in these initiatives come from IT or engineering—
myself included—but the broader community does not necessarily share that same perspective or skill set. This raises an important question: are we
unconsciously creating barriers rather than bridges?
One potential way forward is to forge a more deliberate connection with the Service Design community. They bring a strong human-centred and
creative perspective that could help balance the current technology-centric narrative. However, there is also a cultural gap—service designers often
position themselves as the “cool” side of innovation, adopting a design-led mindset rather than an engineering-led one. Bridging these two realms—
AI/data and service design—could be key to developing more inclusive, meaningful, and sustainable applications of AI.
Shaun West [22 Oct 05:08] Is this idea helpful? Reply
Thanks Shaun - agreed regarding governance. Great service innovations often combine advancing technological capabilities, business
models to scale benefits, and institutional arrangements to mitigate harms to stakeholders, under-served populations, the environment,
and future generations.
Jim Spohrer [22 Oct 19:59] Helpfulness: 0.0 Reply
Harvard Business Review: Looking for a Sense of Purpose? Volunteer. - https://hbr.org/2025/03/looking-for-a-sense-of-purpose-volunteer
Kevin Clark [22 Oct 06:19] Is this idea helpful? Reply
Yes, volunteering is a great way for early career individuals to get mentors and grow their networks as well. For mid career, I have seen
the right volunteer roles help people with promotions in their companies - helping with external technical eminence requirements. And for
retirees, volunteering is a great way to stay active and help mentor the next generation.
Jim Spohrer [22 Oct 19:56] Helpfulness: 0.0 Reply
AI Overview from Microsoft Copilot
Harvard Business Review (HBR) articles have covered nonprofit volunteerism extensively, focusing on its importance for both organizations and
individuals. For nonprofits, volunteerism is a critical tool for building capacity, though recruiting and retaining volunteers is challenging and requires
strategic management. For individuals, volunteerism can provide leadership skills, career exploration, personal fulfillment, and a sense of purpose. For
nonprofit organizations
For individuals
Leadership development:
Volunteering helps build leadership skills like empathy, strategic thinking, and communication.
Personal and professional growth: It can lead to unexpected personal and professional growth, enhanced employee engagement, and a stronger
network. Career exploration: Volunteering o!ers a way to explore new interests and passions outside of a primary job, which can influence career
choices and even lead to a new professional path. Purpose and fulfillment: It can provide a deeper sense of fulfillment, community connection, and
purpose beyond a career. Avoiding burnout: It's important to avoid over-committing to prevent burnout. Setting a personal limit on volunteer hours is
a key strategy for sustainability.
Kevin Clark [22 Oct 06:21] Is this idea helpful? Reply
Agreed. And LinkedIn Profiles can be updated with volunteer work, and some non-profit organization (such as ISSIP) provide
opportunities to update your LinkedIn Profile with certifications in ISSIP Knowledge-Sharing for speaking at an event, and other
certifications for Excellence Awardees, etc.
Jim Spohrer [22 Oct 19:54] Helpfulness: 0.0 Reply
Is there utility in discovering a way for ISSIP to o!er a Service Science Approach for Not-for-Profit Organizations as a distinct refraction of
professional pursuits and body of knowledge? Popped into my head in doing research for this thread.
Launch cohort-based learning circles (8-12 participants) focused on specific challenges or goals, meeting monthly for 6-9 months with structured discussion guides and accountability partners
Establish mentorship matching programs that pair members based on complementary skills and goals, with clear frameworks for the relationship including suggested meeting cadence and conversation topics
Build online community spaces (Slack channels, LinkedIn groups, or member forums) organized by interest areas where members can ask questions, share resources, and troubleshoot challenges between formal events
Train and activate member facilitators who can lead discussions rather than relying solely on staff, which increases ownership and sustainability
Map engagement levels from entry point (attend one event) to moderate (regular attendance, consume content) to deep (volunteer, speak, mentor, serve on committees) to leadership (board service, chapter leadership)
Create low-barrier volunteer opportunities like greeting at events, moderating online discussions, or writing blog posts that let members contribute without major time commitments
Develop a "member showcase" program where participants can present their work, lead workshops, or share case studies—positioning members as experts, not just learners
Recognize and celebrate progression through badges, spotlights in communications, or tiered membership benefits that acknowledge increasing involvement
Conduct "onboarding journeys" for new members with personalized welcome calls, curated content recommendations, and introductions to 2-3 members with similar interests
Run annual member surveys and focus groups specifically asking what skills members want to develop, what formats work best for their schedules, and what barriers prevent deeper participation
Form program advisory committees with rotating member seats to help shape the curriculum, identify speakers, and vet session topics before announcing them
Pilot "unconference" or open space formats where members propose and lead sessions on the day of the event based on real-time interests and needs
Create content contribution programs where members write articles, host podcast episodes, or develop toolkits and templates that become organizational resources
Establish feedback loops by following up after programs with "what's changed?" check-ins at 30 and 90 days, showing members their input leads to tangible improvements
Strategic importance:
Volunteerism is a critical driver of a nonprofit's success, helping build its capacity and community connections.
Strategic management:
Effective volunteer engagement requires planning and oversight, similar to other core functions. Without it, the effort can lead to failure in engaging volunteers.
Recruiting challenges:
Nonprofits face difficulties in recruiting volunteers, particularly those with the necessary skills or who are available during traditional work hours.
Bridging the gap:
There can be a gap in understanding between funders and nonprofits regarding the value and challenges of strategic volunteerism.
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